Apparently Utah Democrats need to get a sense of humor. With the reaction the column has incited, you would think I was kicking puppies in public. These particular puppies are politically neutered with no real influence or power, but that hasn’t quelled the outrage.

I’ve been called a “partisan hack,” “mean” and “hateful” among other things.

That’s not what bothers me about the reaction.

What bothers me is the refusal of some Democrats to take a look at their party and try to figure out why they are a super-minority in the Legislature and basically an afterthought in Utah politics.

The Democrats have lost 26 statewide elections in a row. Let that sink in for a second…The last time a Democrat won a statewide election was Attorney General Jan Graham in 1996. If that’s not evidence enough that what the party is doing is not working, nothing else is.

Look. I don’t have a rooting interest here, but I really would like the Democrats to do better in Utah politics. I really do.

More Democrats means my job is more interesting.

I don’t have a liberal bias or conservative bias in my journalism. I have a bias toward what is interesting.

Right now Democrats are standing outside the process, picking up whatever scraps Republicans throw them, then convincing themselves it’s a veritable feast.

That’s not good enough.

Utah’s Democrats need to step their game up. As long as they’re getting worked up about what mean things a “hack journalist” writes about them, that will never happen.